Walking and Longevity

Regular Aerobic Exercise Increases Odds of a Long Life

© Paul A. Heckert

Oct 31, 2007

Regular walking and other aerobic exercise can not guarantee a longer lifespan, but it improves the chances.


Mr. Montgomery told me that he came into this world when his daddy came home from the Civil War, married his hometown sweetheart, and started a family. I knew him when he was in his nineties and I was a teenager. He was the old man up the street.

He used to take daily walks. Even as a nonagenarian he said that he tried to walk a mile a day. He wasn't quite as fast the young folks in the neighborhood, but he kept walking. I don't remember how old he was when he died, but he was probably in his upper nineties.

One example does of course not prove anything, and most of us can think of examples of people who had all the wrong habits and still managed to live to similar old ages. His daily walks however probably contributed to his longevity.

Regular aerobic exercise along with other contributing factors such as good diet, genetics, and so forth will improve one's chances of a long lifespan. Regular walking or other exercise will not however guarantee a long life, just as bad health habits will not guarantee a short life. The best we can do is improve the odds.

Mr. Montgomery's regular walks were not the only factor contributing to his long life, but they improved the odds for him enough that he lasted nearly a century.


Post this Blog to facebook Add this Blog to del.icio.us! Digg this Blog furl this Blog Add this Blog to Reddit Add this Blog to Technorati Add this Blog to Newsvine Add this Blog to Windows Live Add this Blog to Yahoo Add this Blog to StumbleUpon Add this Blog to BlinkLists Add this Blog to Spurl Add this Blog to Google Add this Blog to Ask Add this Blog to Squidoo